Recently in Misc. Category

Is there still anyone out there that reads this? Please give a shout out!

Let's see what has been happening over the past 6 months.

I have AGAIN changed salons. The other new boss just got unbearable. So I quit. Two days later he got fired. But I like my new place so far so I think I will stay for awhile.

Shingles are gone - welcome oesteoarthritis of the shoulders. Yep, BOTH shoulders are screwed. I have been going to Physical Therapy for about 2 months and am getting some of the range of motion back. Has helped with work since I use my shoulders constantly there. (doing hair) So damn, that means I can keep working. LOL

Hubby is working swing shift (12 noon to 10 pm) so we don't see much of each other from Sunday to Thursday. But it is suppose to be only for another month. Hopefully that is true.

Was in Mazatlan in Feb. Loved the place but not so much the people that we went with. I may have to blog about that trip in its own entry.

Now that I upgraded, I have to do a redesign. This is so generic. I just have to figure out how to do it. This version of MT is alot more detailed than the one I upgraded from. May take some time. But if I stick around and blog some I will have to get busy.

Let me know if you are still reading and I will be forced to keep it updated more often.

I am still trying to get MT upgraded with all the "things" working. It has been a bear.

I am now trying to get the comments to work without me manually having to change the chmod each time I add and entry.

Hope this works. I have some cool shit to blog about.

Hello! Is anybody there?

I guess I better post something on the off chance that someone might show up here to see what I am up too.

Walking! Walking, walking and more walking! Trip to Pinetop for Memorial Day but no walking there. I got sick. Not exactly sure what the hell it is but there was sore throat, slight fever (100ish) chills and headache. But Advil kicked it's butt for about 4 hours a pop so I lived on Advil for the weekend.

We did take a ride up the ski lift in Sunrise. That was really pretty and damn cold.

Let's see...

We are going to babysit my brother-in-laws animals while they are away in North Carolina. We will have a dog, a cat (ours), a rabbit, a turtle and a fish. Here's hoping that I can keep them all alive for 3 weeks.

So far, I have walked 111 miles training for the Breast Cancer 3-Day. The longest walk was 8.5 miles with the next day a 6 mile walk. It really is getting easier and now a 5 mile walk feels like a walk around the block. So I really think I will be able to do this 60 miles in 3 day thing. Just need to get the donations taken care of. So if you haven't donated, please consider it. Every dollar helps.

I will leave you with current pictures of my bestest girls.

KAYLIN 15 months

ZOE 4 months

Folks! I have been driving for *cough behind hand* 30 some years *cough cough*. I have never had an accident when I was driving. That came to an end yesterday.

I was driving with my granddaughter, Kaylin on the 51 (one of our main freeways). Rush hour traffic - stop and go - bumper to bumper. I had just got onto the ramp that splits from the 51 into the 202 east and 10 west (I was heading onto the 202 east) The car in front of me stopped short. I applied my brakes to not hit them. The motorcycle rider behind me was not so lucky. When I looked in the rear view mirror I saw this shiny black Harley bearing down on my trunk, with a guy on it who didn't look like he was having a good day. And it was about to get worse.

After he hit me I was extremely calm. It was kind of weird actually. I would have expected panic and screaming and maybe a few cuss words flying out of my mouth, but there was none of that. A slight panic though, until I looked back and saw Kaylin still sleeping soundly in her car seat. I think the impact knocked the binky right out of her mouth, though.

So here we are sitting in the middle of rush hour traffic, cars slowing whizzing by
us and instead of being the gawker ... I was now the gawkee. The cop came and we got a lights and siren escort off the ramp and onto the side of the freeway (10 west). This is where we spent the next 40 mins standing around while the officer did the paperwork. (Kaylin slept thru most of it)

Everyone was okay. The motorcycle dude hurt his hand (smashed between the bike and the car) but he didn't think it was broken. The bike and the car didn't fare as well. The bike was about 5 months old and a beautie. It now has a dent in the gas tank, a very bent crash bar, twisted lights and one foot pad was all contorted. MY CAR is now sporting a dented trunk, broken taillight and a pretty good size dent in the back quarter panel.

I got up this morning (still feeling fine) and called my insurance company. As I was on the phone to them, I got a call waiting beep. It was the motorcyle dude's insurance company. He admitted fault and my car is going into the shop on Monday to get fixed. I was hoping for money but I guess they don't do that anymore. So fixed it will be. I even get a rental car out of the deal until my car is done.

Want to see what my car looks like now. Check the extended.

I spent the last two days on our income tax. I hadn't done "ANYTHING" on them all year long. Not only did I have to deal with my business "stuff" but there was also STOCK crap that I had to try to figure out.

Hubby's company gave them stock last year and then sold some of the stock to pay for the taxes on the stock. This company does some really weird shit in their accounting department, this just being one of them. Plus there was the stock that I had that "merged" with another company. This one they bought out my stock and then gave me some of the new stock. Sounds confusing eh? Well, try and figure out how to put all that down on an income tax form. That is one of the reasons that it took me two days.

But they are e-filed and I am now waiting for them to be accepted. I owe federal and get back from state, so I am only going to pay out about $450 this year. Believe me! For us that is not bad at all!

Whew! I am glad that is over, that is one of the "biggies" on my list of things that I HAD to get done.

I took the laptop to work today because I had some extra time between customers. So here I am! The funny thing is that the shop doesn't have internet access. I am working off of some unsuspecting idiot out there who has an unsecured wireless network.

It's a good thing I am not an "evil hacker"!

So for now I get to surf the internet at my whim. Got to love it.

I hate f*cking fighting with the bank about "MY" money. Actually it isn't the "bank" but the company that handles their online billpaying.

They seem to have paid my Discover card bill this month. TWICE! To the tune of $1200. TWICE!

I have been on the phone all morning talking to the "bank" - to the bill pay company - to collections of the bill pay company. Of course, the "techs" who answer the first calls are idiots and don't know their ass from a hole in the ground. I asked to be escalated to a supervisor. The one "bimbo" in collections said, "They won't help you either and forwarded me MY OWN BANK, who has nothing to do with the bill pay.

I finally, (after my fourth call and as many cups of coffee) I got someone who knew something. As of this writing, I STILL am short $1200 in my checking account but the "supervisor" has escalated the problem and I should hear something in a few hours. Trust me, if I don't they will be hearing from me AGAIN! (original post on 3/13/06)

UPDATE! I got my money back from Discover on Monday the 20th. I also got the "service charges" that were accessed to my account reversed. And a Huge apology from the bank. The dorks at the Bill Pay - not so much of an apology but what can you expect from a bunch of half-brain idiots.

There have been a couple of things bothering me the past few days.

1. What's with nose hair? I, personally have no nose hair. At least not that anyone else can see. But I have a friend who has nose hair. LOTS of nose hair. As a matter of fact, so MUCH nose hair, that I spent most of our breakfast date trying NOT to look at her nose. (YES, I did say HER) I know what to get her for her next birthday.

2. Where are all the AA batteries coming from?

I have found at least 10 batteries in the past week. Just lying on the ground, EVERYWHERE! The parking lot at the shop - the front yard - the parking lot of the barrestaurant that we went to for dinner - in front of Starbucks! Is it a conspiracy? Is someone trying to poison the earth with discarded AA batteries? Anyone have an idea?

3. How do two (2) people make so damn much laundry in a week?

4. How one minute I have something to tell someone and the next minute I have no idea what that something was!

5. I know there was more but damn if I can remember what it was.

Damn, I hate insomnia! What is with me being up until 2 in the morning? I just can't seem to fall asleep. I was in bed since 10:30 - tossed and turned for an hour an a half - all the while listening to Hubby snoring away.

Now at 12:30 I sit here blogging about not sleeping as I yawn every two minutes.

Who the hell needs sleep anyway?

I am about to "redo" my computer. I usually try to do it once a year but since it scares the shit out of me each time, it has been two years since I have reformatted.

So if you don't see me posting in the next few hours that means it didn't go well.

There is ALWAYS "something" that I forget to backup. I think I have got it covered this time.

Maybe when I get back I will even get this "Holiday Skin" changed.

Wish me luck. See ya on the flip side!

UPDATE!

I am back in business. At least I have an operating system on my computer. Now comes the "fun" part of loading all the software that I use regularly. Woo hoo! What a great Sunday afternoon!

This year is whizzing by!

We took a quick trip to Laughlin. (mini Las Vegas for those who aren't from around here). Hubby did some computer work for some friends and they gave him two nights free at the Ramada Express. We planned it early in the month rather than later because we didn't want to get a phone call saying that "Little Z" was on her way into the world. We were safe. She hasn't arrived yet.

We didn't come home rich but we did come home with some of our gambling money left, so we feel like we were winners. We were up sitting at the blackjack table at 4am one morning having a "lucky streak" and were amazed that we were coherent enough to play cards.

"Little Z" is not actually due until the 20th of January, but word has it that she will be coming a bit early. If she hasn't popped her head out by Tues. night, she is going to be coaxed out. So by sometime Wednesday, there should be another little rugrat in the world that I will call granddaughter. Woo Hoo!

Off to watch the "NEW SEASON" of "24". Another WOO HOO!

I took the day off so Hubby and I could do some charity work.

One of Hubby's co-workers asked him if we would like to help raise money for Ronald McDonald House. All we had to do was lay down some cash and shoot at a couple of clay targets at the Ben Avery Clay Target Center. No Problem!

Little did I know that we would be using a 12 gauge shotgun and have to shoot the thing 50 times. AND try to hit these little orange targets that were flying thru the sky every which way.

Now, I must tell you that I come from a "hunting" family. Yes! Deer, elk, javalina, doves, quail and more than a few cans have lost their lives because of my family. Personally, I have only "killed" cans and targets but the MEN in the family have harmed little Bambi's mommy and daddy and some of his extended family.

I use to be a pretty fair shot. I say "use to be" because I haven't had a gun in my hand for ohhhh 10 years or more. Unless you count the paintball gun that I used on my honeymoon 8 years ago --- but that is another post.

So the set up was 5 different stands. At each stand you got 10 shots and 10 clay targets. The first 4 shots were single shots and the last 3 were two targets at a time. You had to be quick.

Hubby made me go first. His mistake. The first stand I got 9 out of 10 shots. Yeah! You heard me right. I only missed one bright orange clay target. Hubby was sweating. He managed to get 8 out of ten.

The exhilaration was short lived though, as he took the lead at the third stand. So for the next two hours we were shooting at these clay targets going from left to right and right to left and from here to there and there to here. And don't forget the double targets that went from here to there AND there to here at the same time.

After all was said and done, I ended up with 32 dead clay targets out of a possible 50 and Hubby had killed 38. Since I was one of 2 women shooting, I think all the "good ole boys" that were running the place, were impressed by my skills.

I also have a tweeked neck and I bet I have a bruise on my shoulder in the morning. But what the heck! It was for a good cause.

I was all snuggled under the covers, of my nice toasty, warm, king bed, when Hubby kissed me good-bye as he was heading out to work at 5:15 am. So I rolled over, patted the dog, who had replaced Hubby on his half of the bed, and fell back to sleep.

I was startled awake by the LOUD ringing of the phone. I rolled over and looked at the clock. After seeing that it was 6 AM, there was now panic in my nice peaceful, toasty, warm life. No one in MY world calls MY house at 6 am unless it involves bleeding, unconsciousness or death.

In panic mode, I whip off the covers, grab the bedside phone, "Hello?" "HELLO!" no answer. All my phones have caller id, but that doesn't really do me any good when I have jumped out of bed in a panic and don't have my glasses on.

Thousands of awful thoughts are running through my head,

• Hubby was in an accident on the way to work
• Something has happened to one of the boys
• Little K has fallen out of the crib
• Someone is bleeding, unconscious or dead

Now the dog, who was all sprawled belly side up on "his" side of the bed sound asleep too, senses that he should be doing SOMETHING. So he spends several seconds trying to right himself as he barks and carries on like he is going to rip SOMETHING a new Asshole. He jumps off the bed and crashes right into the cat who is just wandering in to find out what all the hubbub is about. The cat screeches and runs off down the hall, dog in tow.

The phone has gone dead. I fumble around to find my glasses so I can see who is in trouble. Needing my help so early in the morning. Dog is barking, Cat is hiding somewhere. (I still haven't seen him this morning) Finally get the glasses on the face and hit caller id....

WOW! Can you believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner and Christmas is around the next one.

I am not a big "holiday" person. I use to be as a kid. But that was back in the day when:

• I just had to show up at the mall to sit on Santa's lap


• I only had to get gifts for mom - dad - and Bro. And that was easy, I just made them things out of tin cans with macaroni glued on and sprayed gold with a bit of glitter.


• all I had to do was stay in bed until 6 am on Christmas morning. That worked, except the year I woke up and had to go potty. I couldn't resist the urge to look in the livingroom. There I spied the best "Barbie Dream House" you ever saw. Then I couldn't get back to sleep.

I even enjoyed it when the kids were little. Then I only had to:

• get them to the mall to sit on Santa's lap.


• shop for toys that they had already picked out from the flyers that the toy stores sent out


• keep them in bed until 6am while I was up earlier drinking my morning coffee before the "day" arrived.

But somewhere along the line, it became less fun. More work. More commercial.

I think it stems from the fact that I feel the need to try to make everyone happy. To make arrangements that will please EVERYONE! When it was just the kids and I, it was easier. Now there are more players in the game and it is just not possible to do that anymore.

Just let me get through the holiday season without hurting anyones feelings.

So I start with Thanksgiving. The turkey will be in the oven by 8am and dinner will be around 2pm. If that works for you, let me know so I can put on some extra potatoes.

For those of you who might have to sit at your computer and hold a baby at the same time, you know that the keyboard is a big attraction to the wee little one.

I have this problem when Little K is over. She loves to type Instant Messages to Grandpa. But it is really REALLY hard to get anything that makes sense done when she wants to type away.

So I have found the PERFECT baby keyboard.

Check it out in the extended.

How come when you want a kid to nap they don't, but when you have to get out and do errands the nap lasts for hours?

Kaylin, the granddaughter who is 7 months old and the cutest thing there ever was on this earth but enough of that, has been napping for an hour and a half. Doesn't she know that Grandma has to go to the bank to get travelers cheques, the store to get more food for her, the vet to get Kermits meds before we leave on vacation. Doesn't she realize that there are a hundred and one things that I need to do before we leave on Sunday and they are ALL out of the house?

Guess I just have to play games and blog for a few more hours.

Last night Hubby and I were in different rooms doing our thing. I was watching all the "new" tv shows in the livingroom and he was messing with the computers in the back office. Between these two rooms is our kitchen and laundry room. The laundry room has a door to the outside carport.

During commercials, I was in and out of the kitchen getting water, picking up etc. He was back and forth from the office to the back bedroom where he keeps alot of his spare computer parts.

About 9 o'clock, he is standing in the kitchen looking at the laundry room door, and says, "How long has this door been open?" I am thinking he is talking about the door between the kitchen and the laundry room, right? NO! The door from the laundry room to the outside is WIDE OPEN! A gaping hole in my safety from the outside. YIKES!

So Mr. Brave grabs a knife and heads outside. (Brave but not really smart) There was no one around... including our (indoor only) cat. He had taken the opportunity to stealth out the open door and make a break for freedom. Hubby found him in the bushes next door. He tossed a rock in the bush and Beeker the cat, made a beeline for the door from which he exited. He ran past me so fast that he damn near knocked me down. The look on his face was pure terror. So much for the great outdoors.

But back to the open door. NEITHER of us had used the door since we got back from the gym at 6 o'clock. Shit! Do you suppose someone came in that door saw the back of Rick's head and heard the tv and took off? Did the wind blow it open on a windless night? Did the cat not only grow balls but hands to finally get the door open to escape?

Damn, if I don't double and triple check the locking of the doors now.

This is an open letter to the person who lost a contact in my kitchen sink.

"I FOUND IT! Don't think you will want it back though. I found it as I was scouring the sink with "Comet with bleach"."

I know that it is not either my Hubby's or mine, since neither of us wear contacts. Must be one of the daughter-in-laws, they are the only ones that I know that wear contacts that would have been in my kitchen.

But you would have thought it might have been mentioned in general conversation that one of their eyes was missing.

Oh well, I like a good mystery.

We continue to work.

It is very hard to get a big project like this done when you have to work and live and take care of other business ALSO!

It has been 6 days and the tile is now laid. You didn't hear me say "FINISHED" but just "laid". We still have to grout, put back baseboards, seal and then the final cleaning. Then of course move everything back into the room.

Our kitchen table has become our office. I don't know how many times I have tried to pull out my keyboard drawer from under the table. The rest of my house is cock full of office and misplace items.

I WANT MY HOUSE BACK IN ORDER!

Soon - hopefully we can finish this up this weekend. But now, everything that we have to do it a waiting process. Grout ... wait for 24 hours, seal grout ... wait for 24 hours. You get the picture.

So here are a couple of pictures of what my house looks like now.
You can click on them to get the BIG PICTURE!

I can't feel my arms. I guess that is not a correct statement. I CAN feel my arms but I can't MOVE my arms.

We are extending the ceramic tile that we have in the kitchen into our family room/office. We spend so much time in there, that the carpet is gross. No matter how hard I try to keep it clean there is just too much traffic. Hubby, the dog, the cat and I have worn a path. So we are tiling it.

But before we can lay the tile we had to remove the carpet. Then we had to remove the vinyl that the carpet was laid over. Last but the hardest, is removing the black adhesive that was used to stick the vinyl to the concrete. That is a BITCH! Who ever laid the vinyl had a thing for the glue that sticks it down.

I am all but about a 3 by 6 foot square and I just can’t do it anymore. Hubby is burnt after scraping the tile off and removing some of the pieces of tile that made the curve by the carpet. So we will take the rest of the afternoon off and begin again tomorrow.

You might have noticed that this room is ALSO our office. So we have set up our computers on the kitchen table. I would have some pictures for you but I am too tired to find my camera in this mess and snap some. Maybe later.

I am going to go take some Advil, ice my arms and take a nap now.

Jury duty went as expected.

I left the house at 6:50am, an hour and ten minutes early, for the 35 minute drive to the Municipal Court downtown Phoenix. AFTER I got on the freeway I noticed that there was not enough gas in the car to get me there. Of course, I had already passed all my "known" gas stations in my area. So I pulled off the bumper to bumper freeway in search of gas. To make a long story shorter, I whittled away my 30 minute safety zone and made it to the Jury Assembly room with a whole 2 minutes to spare.

There was a white board with a list of all the cases that were to be heard today. There were ten. Woo Hoo! I should be able to get on ONE of them right?

The day went like this:

• Doughnut and coffee


• Chit chat with a few other juror prospects


• Watched the movie "National Treasure"


• the list was now down to 3


• Lunch from 11:45 to 1:30 - who the hell needs THAT long for lunch


• Back to the Jury Room to watch the movie "Radio"

Just as the movie was getting to the "good" part we were told we could go home. That was at 2:45pm.

So AGAIN I never left the Assembly Room to go into the courtroom.

AND now I have to rent the movie "Radio" to see how it ends.

Ever see that commercial where the guy is on the payphone talking to a mechanic/tow company and his car is in the background smoking. Then the car blows up and he said "no I don't think a jump will work"? Well, I can relate to that commercial.

No, my car didn't blow up but it was making some very ominous noises. Hubby took it to our mechanic (and I use that term loosely) after it started making a grinding noise in the front end. We have had wheelbearing problems for 3 years now, that we have had fixed and fixed and fixed again. But they just keep going out. So our "mechanic" looks it over - test drives it and tells us that it was a loose bolt in the wheelbearing area. That is as technical as I can get cause I have no idea how a car is put together. So they tightened the bolt on BOTH sides as a courtesy. (they had only done the wheelbearing repair on the driver side)

So we pick up the car and head out to pick up Kaylin for the night. On the way home we start hearing this clunking everytime we put on the brakes. Then the clunking starts to be a rapid thumping when we let off the gas. Sounds like the engine is going to fall out on the freeway going 65 miles an hour.

Hubby takes the next day off so he can head on down to the "mechanic" to find out what the hell is wrong now. Turns out the OTHER wheelbearing is now toast. To the tune of $425. What the Hell!

I still believe that something was done (maybe just tightening the bolt?) caused the major malfunction with this wheelbearing. It is abit suspicious that right after taking it to the "mechanic" this wheelbearing fails, and fails badly. But how do you prove it.

So I am out $425 but I have to say at least it isn't making the awful noises that it was making and I am not afraid to drive it.

I just want it to hold together until I get a new one within the next year.

Why do the delivery guys/gals (FedEx, UPS, etc) always seem to ring my doorbell when I am in the shower?

Scares the shit out of me when the dog starts barking like he is going to tear someone apart, while I am standing naked and vulnerable in the shower.

But no worries, he will just leave it in the "usual spot". NOT! Must be his first day on the job because he leaves me a door tag instead. We have signed a release to allow them to leave all packages whether we are home or not. That is of course unless there is a signature required. Not the case on this package. No one requires a signature for a $30 pack of DVD's.

So hubby is going to call and give them hell and make them bring it back today.

Think he will win? It will be close. But I will let you know.

I got a letter marked personal and confidential in the mail today. Of course, I thought it was junk mail but opened it anyway.

Turns out that one of the health care service companies, that I have been to in the past, had a break in at their administration office. Seems the thieves stole a locked safe. Seems that inside that safe were computer backup tapes. Seems those tapes contained potentially sensitive information about past and current members. Seems that would be ME!

No big deal! That only means that some punk ass bitch has access to not only my medical records but my social security number, birth date, address . . . . Need I go on?

So I called the credit bureaus and had them put a "Fraud Alert" in my credit file. On Monday, I have to call the Social Security office and make them aware that my SS# may be in the hands of some undesirable with intent to wreak havoc with my identity.

But there is a bright side to this story! I get a free credit report out of the deal.

Woo Hoo! Life is good!

Back on Memorial Day weekend, I bought my wonderful new washer and dryer. At the time, Sears was having a promotion that if you used your Sears Charge card you would get 10% back on your purchase of any major appliances. I didn't have a Sears charge, but seeing that it would be about a $225 rebate, I threw caution to the wind and signed myself right up.

The sales guy gave me my rebate slip and I went home and promptly filled out the forms - copied my receipts - and mailed it off - and started the "wait" for my rebate.

Skip to today. I just got an email from "Sears Rebate" my rebate has been approved. They are sending me a check for $140. WHAT??!!??!?!? That should have been $225 , thank you very much. I think what has happened it that they have rebated me for the washer but not the dryer. Of course, they are closed on Sundays.

Of course, they have not had the wrath of tj yet either. I am all geared up for a fight. I can hear the excuses now.

• you should have filled out a rebate form for each appliance (the sales dude only gave me one)
• you can't refile cause the expiration date of the rebate has past (I shouldn't have to refile I already sent you the receipt and form)
• yada yada yada

So tomorrow, I will call bright and early before they have a chance to wake up and give them hell. I pity the fool......

I got a letter in the mail, yesterday. Hubby said it looked like I won the lottery.

It was a jury summons.

I will do my duty and serve. Actually, I would LIKE to sit on a jury. I would love to get past the first room where everyone sits reading or sleeping or sits looking really really bored. But the first 5 times I have been called for jury duty that is as far as I get. Never have I seen the inside of a court room. (from the jury perspective, that is) Hubby was actually pooled for a big case here in Phoenix involving a man murdering his wife and 2 step-kids. Their bodies were never found. But he thinks having "stepkids" got him off of that one. The guy was guilty as sin.

So on August 12th, I will pack up my bag of books . . . maybe the laptop . . . maybe a pillow to nap on . . . and go do my civic duty. Hoping to get on a really juicy trial for the first time in my life. Or at least get as far as the courtroom, so they can tell me they don't want me. I hope I can handle the rejection.

I decided that I couldn't bring my brand new spiffy washer and dryer into the old shabby dirty laundry room. So I set aside today to make it a room that they (the washer and dryer) would be proud to live in.

A new coat of paint would be nice. As I was painting the second wall, I notice a crack in the old paint. So I picked it. Well, I shouldn't have done that! You see the reason for that small crack was an old termite tunnel.

Yes, we HAD termites. Most houses in Arizona have to deal with them at one time or another. You see, these termites like to make their tunnels between the paint and the wallboard. Clever little devils that they are. That way the damage isn't as noticable until the house falls down.

We DON'T have termites now. Let me make that perfectly clear. These were old dried up tunnels. But the damage is still the same. But I digress.

So as I am poking at the wall, I am finding more and more tunnels. Of course, this causes more and more holes in the paint. By the time I am done poking,

We did our job for the Memorial Day Weekend.

We went shopping!

We made the guy at Sear's day. We bought this...

Shhhh, the baby is asleep. So I am typing quietly.

When Kaylin (the granddaughter - for those who don't know) was born I requested that I get to babysit once a week. I am lucky that I get to have "at least" my weekly fix of Kaylin on Wednesdays. "The Kids" live about 55 miles from us (one way) so they bring her over on Tuesday night and Kaylin spends the night with Grammy and Grandpa.

WE LOVE IT!

Here is a quick peek of her busy schedule!

Next time, give Hubby instructions on how to do a bikini wax BEFORE the wax is too hot. On second thought, DON'T let Hubby do your next bikini wax.

I am going to do yardwork today. I think! Nice day. Company coming over next week. Better get my butt in gear and get it ready for Mother's Day.

Off I go.

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The wind is blowing and the leaves are flying.

Quite the blustery day. Cool and breezy.

I feel just like Pooh!

Wouldn't you think that a teller, or anyone who works at a bank for that matter, should be able to count?

I noticed a suspicious charge on one of my accounts this morning when I was doing some banking stuff. So I called the bank and asked what it was.

Seems they deducted $21 from my account for a "wrong" deposit.

To give you alittle insite into ME. I am so very anal about my check register, deposits, statements. Anything that has to do with numbers and money, I double - triple - sometimes yes I even quadriple check the addition. Okay, it is a sickness and I should probably get help but . . .

Now that you know that...

Please go to the extended

Can sombody tell me how a ceiling fan, that is on almost all the time, can get so much dust and grime on it?

Shouldn't it all blow off when it is spinning around hour after hour after hour?

I just don't get it.

I went to the grocery store to pick up some stuff for dinner, today. I just happened to turn down the coffee aisle.

OH MY GOD! It smelled amazing. That yummy smell of fresh ground coffee.

I have been off coffee for about a month now. I WANT SOME BAD!

I have had to fight my car several times this week to keep it from pulling into the Starbuck's parking lot. I have even stopped going to the Albertson's next to the shop because there is a mini Starbuck's in there.

I think I am going to cave. I have just enough left on my Starbuck's Gift Card for a venti Carmel Frappucino. Guys! It's calling my name!

"MY" liver is fine. I may just have to splurge, tomorrow.

I haven't been in the mood to blog lately. After being sick, I haven't had the energy to do anything, so not much to blog about.

Hubby now has, what I had. I gave him a big can of Lysol and told him to keep his distance. I have even been sleeping on the couch for the past few days. I don't want him breathing on me. I DON"T WANT IT BACK, Thank you very much.

He has missed a whole week of work, just like I did. But I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel. He isn't running a fever today, so I think he will live.

We are also starting our "Liver Cleansing Diet" this week. I am still reading and have to "detox" my house of all the "bad" food. I then have to head to the health food store and pick up all the "special" things that he needs to have.

This "diet" is loaded with fruits and veggies so I think it may kick start me to losing weight too. THAT I would like.

I am going to "Try" to head on back to work today. I am feeling better but now I have that "weak from not being in anything but the prone position for a week" shaky feeling. Got to love it.

John Edward was great! Didn't get read but the experience is always amazing.

Went and picked up the "Joe Cocker" tickets my mother-in-law won on the radio station. We have front row seats for the show tomorrow. I am so glad that we will be able to see his "weird" movements up close and personal. If you have ever "seen" Joe Cocker sing you will understand that last comment.

Back in Dec I bought tickets to John Edward.

Tomorrow is the day!

Seminar starts at 11:30. Doors open at 9:30. So we are meeting MIL there at 8am, "just in case" there is a line. I am hoping for breakfast at 8 instead.

I have never been psychic but I feel pretty good about someone in our group getting read tomorrow. Don't know why! Probably wrong! But I am excited about going.

This adventure will probably "kick my ass" since I have been pretty much flat on my back all week. No fever today but still pretty weak. "The Doctor" (a new after hours guy, who looked alot like Matthew Fox from Lost says I will live and prescribed all kinds of "stuff" to treat the symptoms, since this crud is probably viral and antibiotics wouldn't help a whole lot.

But if they have to carry me in on a stretcher, I am going! With my purse full of pharmaceuticals.

No coffee filters. OH NO!

What's a girl to do?

Hey I will use paper towel! Nope, none of those either. (I know I have to go shopping)

Will a napkin work? What do I have to lose?

• unfold two napkins
• lay into coffee filter basket
• put in two scoops of coffee
• use scissors to cut off all the "extra" napkin
• insert basket into coffee maker
• wait patiently for coffee to brew

Time to check the coffee.

I needed to add something so March wouldn't be so empty.

Can you believe it is MARCH? What the hell happened to Jan and Feb?

Have to take Hubby and Kermit the dog to the Doctor tomorrow. NO! Not to the same one.

I think Kermit is going to have to have doggie prosthesis. Did I talk about this already? I am too lazy to check back entries. I will take a picture instead.

Here in Phoenix the "normal" average rainfall is right around 8 inches a year. I know that is less than some of you get in a month but HEY! we are a desert here.

I think I heard last night that we have had over 4 inches so far this year, and we are only at the end of the second month. Usually we get alittle over an inch and a half for the two months combined. But enough of the weather lesson.

All this rain is making us have the color "GREEN" in our landscape. The hills and fields are all growing crazy. You see here in Arizona we don't have the color GREEN like the rest of the country. We have a dirty "brown green". Kind of a "crispy green" ready to turn brown with a couple of 100 degree days. But NOW we have GREEN. My yard is GREEN, it is mostly weeds but it is GREEN.

Why even my patio is GREEN! That's alittle scary and I am not sure what I am going to do about it but there it is.

If you had the chance to retire and not ever work again. . . would you? Of course this fantasy would include all the money you need to do what ever you want.

You bet I would. I love my job but I would love to be able to travel when and where I want.

If you didn't have to work, what would you be doing with all your time?

I am going to bed now to dream about it. Before I have to get up for work in the morning.

Let's see!

Friday night: Hubby wants to take me to see this amazing guitarist, Tommy Emmanuel, out in Cave Creek.

Saturday: Mother-in-law won tickets to see "Leslie Gore, The Shirelles and the Dixie Cups. She offered them to her middle son (age 35) and he said, "Who?". So she asked if I would go with her. We get dinner, the concert and alittle gambling too, since it is out at Fort McDowell Indian Casino.

Saturday Date 2: Hubby wanted to take me to a new nightspot here in town for a night of dancing and karaoke. I dance, he karaoke's since I can't carry a tune.

Hopefully "the baby" gets here tomorrow, so my weekend will be open for all this fun stuff.

I just finished staining a changing table that I got "used" from a friend of a friend.

Put the pieces in the spare room to dry. Looked up and saw TWO MORE peices, laying on the back of the couch. ARRRRGGGGG! Where the hell did they come from? Why did they climb up onto the couch away from thier brother pieces?

So now I have to drag out the sander and the stain and the polyurethane and all the other "stuff".

So much for being organized.

And still no baby.

I am waaaay to old to fall down. And waaaay to young to fall down because I am waaaay to old. Got that?

Yesterday. I was using the treadmill and had finished up but hadn't put it up yet. I got up from the desk to let "Kermit the Dog" outside. As I walked past the treadmill the lace on my tennis shoe caught on the end and snagged me up.

I went down hard! Real hard! Full out - sprawled out - full force on my elbows jam the shoulders - hard. I don't even think my knees hit the ground till after I bounce a couple times.

I actually laid there for a few minutes accessing the damage. I didn't see any bones sticking out or blood so I thought I might live. "Kermit the Dog" must have thought I wa playing a new game cause he was licking the crap out of me.

But I lived. The shoulders are very sore and the one elbow is tender but no visible bruising.

What a Dork!

We are getting a much needed evening out. We are getting together with some of my old high school friends for dinner at Monti's, and awesome steak house in town. It will be great to just get out for the evening and visit with friends.

Prime rib here I come.

Ever wondered where you money goes?

No I mean literally.

A few years ago I came across a $1 that had red typed words on it. Being curious I read it. It said:

See where I've been
Track where I go next
www.WheresGeorge.com

Well, I went to www.wheresgeorge.com and found that this particular bill had traveled all the way from Glendale to me. (about 5 miles) woo hoo

I actually took the time to add a couple of bills of my own and have had "hits" that they too have traveled very short distances.

But today I found a dollar bill in my washing machine. I am sure that it was put in there as payment for some of the socks the damn thing has eaten but I digress. This bill had the red typed words so I knew it was being tracked.

So I went to WheresGeorge.com I found that this was no slacker bill. It had traveled from Snellville, GA (June 2003) to Seattle, WA (Jan 2004) to me. This $1 bill had traveled 3292 miles in 1 year, 202 days, 19 hours, 48 mins at an average speed of 5.8 miles per day. (yeah WheresGeorge gives you all that information).

So just remember if you see a bill (any denomination) with writing on it, check to see if it has been to Where'sGeorge. It is really kind of fun.

Hubby and I decided to head over to the new IKEA store this afternoon.

IT IS BIG! Yes, we got lost but only for alittle while. I didn't cry to much cause I wasn't that scared. I can see how the contestants on Amazing Race had such a time finding anything.

We did buy something. Cinnamon buns. Yep, we went to a furniture/household store and bought cinnamon buns. Well they bake them right there and have hidden fans that blows the smell all over the store. So who can blame me.

I will have to go back when I have some money to blow.

NO NOT ON MORE CINNAMON BUNS! Okay... maybe one.

I have been so very busy. So busy that I haven't even had time to blog. Either reading or writing.

I have a business website that I am having the hardest time getting started on. It is for a racquetball court builder and I am having a design block. So that is stressing me out.

I have also been trying to get the "guestroom" cleaned up and ready to become not only a guestroom but a nursery. I decided that since I have ONE grandchild coming in 33 (days and counting), I should make the guestroom child ready for the future (not planned yet) grandchildren. Since I plan on having them over often. :)

Then my brother and new sister-in-law came into town for a few days. We went out to dinner on Sunday, to an awesome "Old" steak house called Monti's La Casa Vieja. It has been around since I was a kid, (yeah it is THAT OLD) and is still the best steak in town.

Then the whole gang got together for a spaghetti dinner at Mom's last night. Food was good, company was the best. I have the best family there is.

Today, Brea's best friend, J and I are getting together to do the name tags and diaper cake for the baby shower on Sunday.

I need more hours in the day.

hee hee she said "BEAVER"!

Christmas was busy enough. Then the flu. Then Mom's birthday yesterday. We surprised her with dinner at the Olive Garden. The boys and wives snuck in on the action and we had an awesome time. We always do when we get together. Lots of laughing and kidding.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Lunch with E (youngest son) in a few. Again, I get to see the kid. I love it. Hubby and him are playing XBox Hockey right now. That is one of the many things Hubby got for Xmas, but I still have to tell you about Christmas morning. Next entry.

Go to see Mother In Law at Brother In Law's house this evening. She is babysitting for the nieces and nephews, so brother and sister in law can have a night out.

Then somewhere in there I have to clean my house, take down all the Christmas stuff, work on a new website I have been asked to design. (for money, big money woo hoo), shop for daughter in laws baby shower next weekend. . . . the list goes on.

I thought that after Christmas it was suppose to settle down.

Oh yeah, I have to find time to spend all the Christmas gift certificates and money that I got as presents.

Life is hard.

tj is alive and sort of well in AZ.

But just barely.

The day after Christmas I came down with what I think was the flu. Fever, puking, massive headache and neckache. I was either in bed or on the couch flat out for two days. (with a bucket since I could bearly make it to the bathroom. I know too much detail)

Hubby has also been battling something. His seems to be more of a head cold/sinus thing but he also has a fever. He stayed home from work on Sunday but insisted on going in Monday only to come home early.

So between the two of us, we have been trying to take care of each other. If someone was able to get up to go to the bathroom, we would refill water/orange juice or bring on the Advil.

I have to drag myself to work this morning so I will have to catch you up on Christmas. It was wonderful. Hubby really did shine this year.

Have a great day.

Yesterday morning, before Hubby went to work, he set my coffeemaker to auto so I would have coffee hot and ready for me when I woke up. (he leaves about an hour before I even think of waking up).

This morning ... there was no coffee hot and ready to drink.

I don't think he loves me anymore.

Hubby fixed the sliding glass door.

I damn near threw it slid it across to the neighbors yard. Instead of a two arm tug of war, it is now a one finger slider.

I love my Hubby!

I have a migraine. And somone just farted. ewwwww!

I was up bright and early this morning because I wanted to get to the grocery store before everyone else raced in.

7am: baking aisle of the local grocery store. Looking for WHITE bread machine mix. NADA - Empty - nothing - gone - no where to be found. The only thing left on my list and there wasn't a box to be found anywhere. I just couldn't use sourdough for my dressing bread. And I wasn't about to start from scratch. Not another store OH NO!

8 am: unloading a car full of groceries into the house, as the dog runs out the front door to pee on the nearest tree.

8:30 am: back on the road to find White Bread Machine mix and drop off the frozen turkey for the St. Mary's Food Bank.

9 am: running very low on gas. Quick find nearest gas station. Where are they when you need them.

9:30 am: Go over list.

• shopping done ... CHECK


• White Bread Machine mix found ...CHECK


• Car filled with gas ... CHECK


• Turkey dropped off at the food bank ... CHECK

Okay I can go home now to ...

Bake stuffing bread.
Bake pies.
Clean house for company tomorrow.
Clean up dog droppings in the backyard.
Mow the lawn.
Sweep the patio.
Chop down the tree.
Bail the hay.
Milk the cow.
Feed the goats.
Kill the turkey.

Okay I don't have ALL that stuff, but it sure feels like it.

I really DO LOVE Thanksgiving. No REALLY I do.

Want to know what kind of day I had today?

So far today I (or I should say we here) have fought with:

The vet for not faxing Kermits prescription into the pharmacy. They told me that they did it Friday. Then they said they did it Saturday. Today they said that the pharmacy was closed Friday and Saturday. What happened to competent help these days.

The cable guy We have been having these funny (well not THAT funny) wavy lines running across the screen. The squirrelly lines started right after the cable company laid new cable a couple weeks ago. This was also about the time we got a bunch of rain. Anyway, cable guys said it is our lines inside the house. Hubby told him No! Took our 13 inch tv outside and plugged it into the cable line that goes into our house, (bypassing the house install) The lines were still there. So dude is sending out his boss.

Nothing gets fixed the first time. Why is that?

So off I go to work. Wonder who I get to yell at next?

If you DON"T vote, then you do not have the right to complain for the next four years. Okay, you can complain about the weather and stuff like that but NOT about ANYTHING Presidential.

SO GO VOTE! It's not to late. If you live in Wisconsin, you can even still register and vote. Alright, I am off my soapbox.

I voted...early...like 6:45am. Only about 6 people in line. I was home in 20 mins.

So whoever wins....Boy am I going to complain.

I think it was about 4 months ago, that someone turned me on to
The Happiest Faces on Earth, and the fact that Disneyland was going to be 50 Years old in 2005. Disney was looking for pictures that have been taken at Disneyland thru the years.

Well, I had just gone thru the case of "old" slides. (for the younguns, those are like negatives encased so that they can be shown on a slide projector) and there were pictures from Disneyland in the early 1960. So I sent in 5 pictures.

Cut to yesterday.

I received an email from the Disney Corp. and they would like to use 3 of my pictures. Dang, was I surprised. I have to get permission to use the picture from all who are in them. Pretty easy since they are my brother, mom, my "little gram and me. My dad always took the "slides". Mom has already said "Yes, we will be famous!" in our own minds anyway. Bro is out of town but I am sure he will be "okay" with it. And "Little Gram" I am sure is jumping up and down in heaven, saying "sure - Yah - you betcha".

The pictures that are going to make us famous are in the extended:

This is a very strange fruit. Kind of look like an apple with a very hard skin. Kind of like eating a fruit full of juicy sunflower seeds that you spit out the shell. The taste is sweet with a little bitter thrown in for good measure.

They are quite messy and time consuming to eat. But fun. If you have never had one, try one, at least once. I kind of like them.

Does anyone else get pissed off when the person who sings the National Anthem before a sporting event, doesn’t know the words?

I have been known to sing the wrong word to a song myself, on occasion but DAMN! , it's the NATIONAL ANTHEM! If you don't know the words to the National Anthem, then you sure as hell shouldn't be singing it before the frickin "World Series". And in my humble opinion, it is not a song that is up for personal interpretation, either. Sing it the way it is suppose to be sung. It is NOT a rock song, Steven Tyler. Show some respect!

Okay, Let's Play Ball!

I went to the Dr. today to see if he could look into why I am having so many headaches.

I left the office with an even bigger headache.

Let me explain.

I hear:

Kermit (the dog) whining to come in after begging to go out for the last 15 mins.
The Boston/Yankee baseball game getting underway on the T.V. in the other room.
The wind chime next door tinkling in the wind.

I feel:

The gentle breeze blowing in from outside thru the screen door.
The need for something sweet to eat.
Hiccups.

I smell:

The possibility of rain in the air. (kind of smells like wet dirt here in AZ)
Someone in the neighborhood BBQing, chicken, I think.

I taste:

The mexican food we had for dinner.
The water I am drinking to help settle the mexican food we had for dinner.
I hope to be tasting something sweet that I feel I need.

I see:

The baseball game on the T.V. in the other room.
My very messy desk.
A wedding invitation from a good friend from high school.

Aren't the 5 senses amazing?

What are you hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting and seeing?

I spent the day again, yesterday in bed with a migraine. Second one in a matter of weeks. Usually I only get 2 or 3 a year. But I think this is about the 6th this year. I guess it is time to go have them checked out with the Doctor. Yuck!

I hit the jackpot!

This morning as I was moving the load of clothes from the washer to the dryer it started raining money. Okay, not exactly raining but it was spewing from my washer. Five and ten and ones and change and EVERYTHING. For a grand total of $20.09. That's right baaaaby! I am one rich cleaning lady. You betcha!

You see the deal at this house is ... if you don't clean out your pockets I GET IT! Woo Hoo! I feel a Starbuck's coming on.

God I love to do laundry. Yeah right!

UPDATE!

Just moved the clothes OUT of the dryer and out pops another $5.25.

The only problem is ... I have come to the conclusion that it came out of the pocket of a pair of MY jeans. So I am not as excited anymore. :(

A friend of Hubby's, I'll call him P, called earlier this evening. He was moving into a friends house this week and had headed over there this evening to bring some more "stuff" to the house. When he gets there he is greeted with changed locks and an eviction notice on the door.

Hubby, of course, doesn't ask the right questions so it is still up in the air whether P's "friend", was renting the house or just didn't pay his mortgage. I guess it doesn't matter, but what DOES matter is that P is a diabetic. And ALL his meds are in the house under someone else's lock and key. I told Hubby to have P call the police and tell them that if he didn't get into get his meds there WOULD be a medical emergency.

P just called back and the cops helped him "break into" the house to retreive his meds, a few clothes and a couple of his guitars, since he is a musician and that is part of his business. They told him that he would have to contact the courts tomorrow to get the rest of his stuff legally.

So now P has no place to stay. So we have opened up our humble home for the next couple days, I guess. P is a nice guy so I guess it will be okay.

I guess I have to stay dressed for the next couple days. No running around in my undies. DAMN!

My eyes are open. The light doesn't seem to be bothering them. I can sit up and stand up without getting a horrific pounding behind my right eye.

I guess I lived.

Although, yesterday it was touch and go. I woke with one of the worst migraines I have ever had. This one lasted from sometime early morning, (I think I took the first pill about 4am) when Hubby got up to get me some meds, till I finally woke up for real at 4pm.

Someone could have just shot me and I would have been better off.

But this morning I am raring to go. Go figure.

That is what I hope to be yelling in about 3 hours.

The girls are going out to Vie Quiva casino to play BINGO tonight. They are paying for my card packet as a belated birthday for me. Woo Hoo! Free BINGO for me. Now if I can only WIN!

I always seem to get down to one number left til I BINGO and someone yells BINGO and it isn't me. But the first number up on the next game is the number I needed. So I am really in for a night of pure frustration rather than fun. But at least I will be with my buds.

Wish me luck!

UPDATE in extended

How long does it take to get out of vacation mode? Well obviously more than three days.

I haven't got SHIT done since we got home. Granted I spend Mon and Tues looking for the cat. But come on....

The laundry is still piled in the laundry room, the kitchen is stacking up with dishes and the kitchen table still has the "stuff" that has to be put away from vacation.

And I DON'T CARE!

I did reformat my computer today so it is a brand spanking new setup. But my desk is a disaster.

Oh well there is always tomorrow.

CAT UPDATE: Cat is doing fine. Sleeping most of the day and walking very gingerly on his feet but they are healing very well.

While cleaning out the shed, I came across the crib that my children slept in when they were babies. Kind of battered and worn but I think refinishable. So I have a project to work on now. I will redo the boys crib and set it up in my extra room for when the "grandbaby" comes to visit. I am assuming that I can get it done before February when "JoJo" is due.

Let the sanding and scrubbing begin!

You know how your best laid plans don't always work out QUITE the way you thought they would. Well that was the "Shed Flooring Project"

We emptied the shed and removed the floor and set out the "plan" for the brick pavers. The only problem . . . spacing. Fourteen inch bricks all the way across would leave us either short or way over. So we improvised and added a cute little design with 8x4 bricks. Anyway, instead of taking two days, it took 3, and "MAN AM I SORE"! Those "little 14 inch bricks" are heavy and I have the bruises to prove it.

But the results were MORE than satifactory. Take a look!

Hubby had to burn some vacation days before the end of the year, so he took Weds. and Thurs. off. Since we are going to San Diego in 11 days, 8 hours, 3 mins (and counting), we decided NOT to go to the cabin up in the tall, cool pines. Instead, we are cleaning out the shed. Perfect swap don't you think.

Tomorrow, bright and early, we are going out into the 100°+ heat to clear out our saved "JUNK" and put a new floor in the "HOT" metal shed. The old wood floor is rotting away and turning into sawdust. Granted, it really needs to be done, but I thought it could wait till the weather was abit cooler. . . . like maybe 90°. But I have to strike while the pan it hot. (Hubby being the pan... not the temperature)

I told him I would help with the shed if after it got "too hot" to work outside, we both came in and clean the house. Now THAT is a trade off.

My client's car was run into in the parking lot at work this morning. I just happened to be sitting chatting with another customer and looking out the front window when this lady pulled into the parking lot. As she was pulling into the parking space she clipped the back bumper of my customers car, I'll call her C. My customer NOT her car. sil